MADURAI: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Madurai recently directed SpiceJet airline to pay a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for failing to ensure prompt delivery of passengers' luggage. Acting on a complaint lodged by K Arumugam Krishnan Raja and V Rajendra Pandian Vasupandian, the commission, chaired by president M Piravi Perumal and member P Shanmugapriya, also directed the manager and corporate head of the airlines to pay an additional amount of `10,000 for litigation expenses.
According to the complainants, they had booked flight tickets to Dubai on March 18, 2023, and the purpose of their visit was to sign a business deal worth USD 28,000. "After landing in Dubai, we were informed that our baggage, which contained our clothes, project report and other essentials, will be delivered to the hotel where we stayed. As we did not receive our belongings on time, we were forced to attend the client meeting in non-executive attires. Moreover, we failed to complete the presentation on time, due to the absence of the project file, which resulted in us losing the deal," stated the complainants. They also pointed out that they received the baggage only on March 21, the day of their return journey.
Meanwhile, the counsel of the airline contended that the complainants had travelled on tourist visas, thereby indicating that they were not on a business trip. When the airline officials attempted to contact the complainants, they did not respond to the calls, added the counsel. The commission, which refused to accept that the complainants had gone on a business trip, citing lack of evidence, however, acknowledged the high degree of mental agony faced by the duo, and ordered the airlines to pay the compensation in the interest of consumer justice.